Page 5 of Home for the Holidays

“Three days before Christmas, hmm? Perfect time for a crisis, right?”

Heidi rubbed her hands over her face and pulled lightly on her cheeks, groaning the entire time. Neck-deep in tomorrow’s bakery catering orders, three call-offs for the morning shift, and a malfunctioning oven meant she was two seconds away from a mental breakdown. Normally, she handled her shit. But tonight? Tonight, she wanted to curl into a ball and hide. With a bottle of bourbon. “I’m so confused,” she said as she looked down at the appliance technician’s bottom half. The rest of him was stuffed into the malfunctioning oven that she’d spent a fortune on. “This oven is brand new. It shouldn’t be having issues.”

“I know, boss,” the technician shouted. He pulled himself out from under the oven, a layer of sweat beaded on his forehead, and wiped his hands on his Santa Claus T-shirt. “But if you let me work, I can hopefully have you ready for the morning rush.”

“You’re right, you’re right.” She waved her hands through the air. “I’m sorry.”

He let out a grateful sigh and said, “Thank you,” before he started to disappear again.

“But—”

“For the love of Christ Himself, Heidi.” He was out of the oven again and gave her an exasperated look. “I need to work on this. I can fix it if you’ll just leave me the hell alone. Okay? Can you please let me work on it?”

Heidi stopped in her tracks, her shoulders falling slightly. “Wow, Chris, I don’t think you’ve ever called me by my first name.”

“Well, boss, ya ain’t listening to me.” He shrugged. “Go away, please.”

She chuckled as she held her hands up. “Okay, okay.” She skulked away, upset with herself for being so pushy. Owning and operating the Easy Bake Café was her number one teacher of patience and understanding, so losing her shit was not an option. Ever. When she glanced back, Chris’s ass was in the air, crack showing proudly. She shook her head, chuckled again, and headed to her office. “Chris said he could fix it.” She ran her fingers through her caramel-blonde hair, acting and sounding as laissez-faire as possible.

Donna looked up from the schedule she was working on, a small smile on her thin, wrinkle-ridden lips. “I told you everything would be fine.”

“I don’t listen. You know this.” Heidi shrugged before she sat at her desk opposite Donna. “What are we going to do with three call-offs?”

“We could fire them. Damn kids.” Donna’s voice was gruff from smoking way too many Marlboros. She was pushing seventy and in no way, shape, or form should have still been working, but she was an old family friend. Letting her go was not going to happen—not just because Heidi wouldn’t do it, but because even if she tried, Donna wouldn’t leave. She had gone on record as saying she would die before she’d stop working. “I swear,” she continued while adjusting the Christmas light necklace she wore every day of the holiday season, “in my day, we’d get fired if we called off like they do. No responsibility. Not a one.”

Heidi tilted her head and smiled as she watched Donna peering at the old, giant monitor of the only computer she said she’d ever learn how to use. Thank god it was an iMac; no other computer would have lasted as long. “Yeah, well, you’re a baby boomer, my friend. Not part of this new generation that doesn’t give a shit what you say.”

Donna laughed, coughed, and then cleared her throat. “Millennials, right?”

“No, my dear. They’re Generation Z. They’re gonna save us. Remember?”

“Ahh, yes,” she looked up at the ceiling, a reminiscent look on her face. “As long as they vote out these fucking Republicans.”

Heidi chuckled at Donna’s language. “From your lips…”

Donna leaned forward again, face way too close to the monitor, and started typing. “We’ll be fine tomorrow. If you can work the coffee bar in the morning, I can watch the back. We’ll have Andy and Sam in at half past six. Shouldn’t be too bad. They both said they’d stay late for us too. And then we’re closed from Christmas until December 30th. So, if we can make it through the three days, we’ll be home free.”

“Thank you for taking that stress off of me.” Heidi leaned back in her chair and sighed. “Do you think I’d be able to be out by two tomorrow?” She owned the place, yet she always asked. Just in case.

“In the afternoon?”

“Obviously.”

Donna looked at her over the top of her bifocals. “Sure.”

“Thanks,boss,” Heidi said with a chuckle. Donna held her hand out, middle finger in the air, as she continued to stare at the monitor. “I’m gonna head home now.” Heidi checked her watch. “Holy cow. It’s after eleven. I’m too old for these late nights.”

“Oh, please, like fifty-four is old.”

She eyed her from across the room. “I’m fifty-three, Donna. Fifty-three. Don’t age me prematurely, please.”

“How could I forget?”

“Don’t start, ya old bag.”

Donna laughed loudly. “Go home, please. I’ll close up once Chris is done. You open in the morning. Four comes quickly. I love ya, honey.”

Heidi walked over to Donna and kissed the top of her head. “See you tomorrow.”

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